The present invention relates to carrier pucks for receiving and supporting objects to be moved along a processing line and, more particularly, to carrier pucks capable of receiving and supporting one of at least first and second articles, each having different dimensions, and to carrier pucks having improved stabilizing capabilities.
Carrier pucks are common in the prior art. Such pucks are used to receive, support and stabilize articles to be moved along a processing line. Movement of the pucks and, hence, the articles, is effected via a conveyor. The conveyor may comprise a moving belt extending between opposing guide rails which act to maintain the pucks properly positioned on the moving belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,237 discloses a carrier puck having inner fins which act to hold an article within the puck. The puck is designed to receive an article having straight outer walls and a specific outer diameter. An article having a different contour, such as a bottle having outer curvilinear walls and an outer protruding ridge, will either not fit within the puck or if received will not be adequately supported and stabilized by the puck while moving along the processing line.
A further prior art carrier puck comprises a main body having inner side walls shaped to follow the contour of an article having generally straight outer walls. An article having non-straight walls will either not fit within the puck cavity or if received will not be properly supported by the puck while moving along the processing line.
Accordingly, these prior art carrier pucks are limited in their use since they can only adequately support and stabilize articles having one particular shape. When articles having a different shape are to be processed along the same processing line, new carrier pucks must be installed. This, however, is costly due to, inter alia, production line downtime and the expense of additional pucks.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved carrier puck which is capable of receiving and supporting one of at least first and second articles, each having different dimensions. There is further a need for an improved carrier puck which is capable of receiving and supporting an article having walls which are not generally straight.